Cylindrical utility box with rotating storage trays

ABSTRACT

A cylindrical utility box includes a circular floor with a central cylindrical shaft extending perpendicularly from the center of the floor. One or more storage trays, each having a wedge-shaped section removed therefrom, are fitted over the shaft. A rotatable cover substantially is fitted over the uppermost storage tray, and a handle is secured to the cylindrical shaft to carry the utility box. Additional storage trays can be added to the utility box by extending the length of the cylindrical shaft, with one or more shaft extension sections.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates generally to a utility box, and more particularly, to a utility box having rotating storage trays.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Utility boxes have long been used to store and transport various items such as hardware, tools, crafts, and hobby supplies, and other articles that need organization. Traditionally, these boxes are box shaped with a hinged lid that can be closed for storage and transport, and opened when access to the articles inside is desired. These hinged boxes generally have storage trays that fit inside the box and an open area in the bottom of the box for storage. Drawbacks of this design include the fact that storage trays are often limited and that the bottom of the box often becomes cluttered, making it difficult to organize the box's contents. Furthermore, when opened, the box often becomes unstable due to the weight of the opened hinged lid.

[0003] Another utility box design that overcame some of the disadvantages of the hinged box design is a cylindrical utility box, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,787, the details of which are herein incorporated by reference. While traditional cylindrical utility boxes are generally an improvement over the hinged lid variety, they retain some of the shortcomings common to other utility boxes. Such shortcomings include the inability to expand to add additional compartments if required by the user. If additional compartments are required, the user is forced to buy an additional or larger utility box. Another shortcoming is that a user is only allowed access to a single compartment at a time. Accordingly, there remains a need for a cylindrical utility box offering the convenience of allowing the number of compartments in the utility box to be expanded to meet a user's ever changing needs, while offering access to a number of different compartments at one time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention relates to a utility box having vertically stackable trays that are independently rotatable around a common central axis. The utility box generally includes a circular floor, a central cylindrical shaft extending perpendicularly from the center of the floor, one or more storage trays, a rotatable cover, and a handle.

[0005] To add additional storage trays, the cylindrical shaft is adapted to mate with a shaft extension. The shaft extension includes a mechanism for locking the shaft extension in place on the shaft.

[0006] In one embodiment of the invention, the locking mechanism includes a pair of aligned channels into which a flexible key is inserted to prevent the longitudinal movement between the channels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a utility box having three storage trays formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

[0009]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the utility box formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a floor of the utility box;

[0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a storage tray of the utility box;

[0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an extension shaft of the utility box; and

[0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a handle of the utility box.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0014]FIG. 1 depicts the utility box 5 formed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The utility box 5 has a floor 10, one or more storage trays 20, a cover 25, and a handle 30. A central cylindrical shaft 14 extends substantially perpendicular from the center of the floor 10. The one or more storage trays 20 and cover 25 are positioned over the shaft 14 to rotate around the central cylindrical shaft 14 and allow access to the various compartments of the storage trays 20. The handle 30 is coupled to the top of the central cylindrical shaft 14 to prevent the storage trays 20 and cover 25 from coming off the shaft 14 and to permit carrying of the utility box 5.

[0015] The cover 25, and the one or more storage trays 20, each has a wedge-shaped section deleted from its periphery. In the present embodiment, the wedge-shaped section is about one-quarter of the circumference of the periphery, although larger or smaller wedges could be used. Access to the compartments within a storage tray 20 is achieved by rotating the desired compartment into the wedge-shaped area of the storage trays 20 and the cover above it. Access to a compartment of the topmost storage tray 20 can be made by rotating the wedge-shaped area of the cover 25 over the desired compartment.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the central cylindrical shaft 14 comprises a fixed cylindrical section 16 that is secured to the floor 10. To increase the length of the shaft, a number of extension shafts 40 can be secured together and to the fixed cylindrical section 16. As the length of the shaft 14 increases, a greater number of storage trays 20 can be added to the utility box 5.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 4, the floor 10 has a generally circular base 12 with the fixed cylindrical section 16 extending substantially perpendicularly from the center of the base 12. The fixed cylindrical section 16 has a first end connected to the base 12. A second end of the fixed cylinder 16 has a stepped shoulder section 48 (described below) that mates with a correspondingly shaped portion of an extension shaft 40 or the handle 30.

[0018]FIG. 4 shows in greater detail the mechanism for securing the extension shafts 40 together in order to increase the length of the shaft 14. As indicated above, the extension shaft 40 permits additional storage trays 20 to be added to the utility box 5. The extension shaft 40 is a generally cylindrical tube having a first end 42 and a second end 44. The first end 42 of the extension shaft 40 has a stepped shoulder section 46, with an inner diameter that is slightly wider than the inner diameter of the remainder of the shaft. Similarly, the second end 44 has a stepped shoulder section 48 with an outer diameter that is slightly less than the outer diameter of the remainder of the tube. The diameters of the stepped shoulder sections 44 and 48 are selected such that a second end 44 of an extension tube will fit within the first end 42 of an adjacent extension tube.

[0019] To secure adjacent extension tubes together, each of the stepped shoulder sections 44, 48 have a groove or slot 50, 52, that extends around the inner and outer circumference of the stepped shoulder sections, respectively. The grooves or slots are positioned such that when two extension tubes are fitted together, the groove 52 on outer circumference of one stepped section aligns with the groove 50 on the inner circumference of the stepped section on the adjacent tube.

[0020] To prevent longitudinal movement of the extension shafts, the extension shaft has a hole 60 positioned over the channel 50. The hole 60 allows for a flexible key 62 to be inserted through the hole 60.

[0021] The key 62 has a head 64 that fits within the hole 60 and a flexible tail 66 that is inserted through the hole into the aligned channels 50, 52, on the extension shaft. The tail 66 of the key 62 is sized such that when inserted into the aligned channels, the two cylindrical sections are locked together and cannot be moved longitudinally with respect to each other. To disengage the two cylindrical sections, the head 64 of the key is pried from the hole 60 and the key is removed from the aligned channels. In the present embodiment of the invention, the extension tubes 40 have two holes 60 that are positioned 180° apart so that two keys 62 are used to secure the tubes together. However, a single hole 60 with a longer key 62 could also be used.

[0022] To prevent rotational movement of connected cylindrical sections, the first end 42 of a cylindrical section includes a top 70 that fits within a corresponding recess 72 of an adjacent cylindrical section.

[0023] The fixed cylindrical section 16 of the shaft 14 has a similar stepped shoulder and groove or slot so that it is received to the extension shafts or the handle in the same manner as the extension shafts are held together.

[0024] Referring now to FIG. 6, a handle 30 permits the utility box to be easily transported. The handle has a stepped shoulder section 82 that is formed in the same manner as the first end 42 of the extension shafts 40 so that the handle 30 can mate with an extension shaft or the fixed cylindrical section 16. In that regard, the section 82 has an inner diameter sized to receive the stepped shoulder section of an extension shaft 40 or of the fixed cylindrical section 16. Also, the stepped shoulder section 82 has a groove 50 and hole 60 for locking the handle to the extension shaft as described above.

[0025] Referring now to FIG. 5, a storage tray 20 has a wedge section 22 removed from its periphery. An outer wall 23 extends around the periphery, forming a storage compartment 25. An opening 24 is located in the center of the storage tray 20 to permit the storage tray to be vertically stacked over the central cylindrical shaft 14. The opening 24 has an inner diameter sized to permit the storage tray to rotate around the central cylindrical shaft 14. The height of the wall 23 may be sized based upon the desired depth of the storage compartment 25. The overall diameter of the storage tray 20 may also be varied depending on the desired area of the storage compartment 25. Generally, though, the base 12, the storage tray 20, and the cover 55 have substantially the same diameter.

[0026] The storage tray 20 preferably includes a rib 28 on the underside of its periphery that mates with the top surface of wall 23 to assist in the alignment of the storage tray with other storage trays. The rib 28 extends downwardly from the base of the storage tray, and is recessed inwardly from the periphery so that the outer surface of the rib 28 is in slideable communication with the inner surface of the peripheral wall 23 of the storage tray 20 vertically stacked below it.

[0027] The storage tray 20 optionally includes one or more divided walls 27 formed integrally within the tray to partition the tray into multiple compartments 26. The compartments 26 are further subdivided by removable partitions 29 which fit into slots formed in divided walls 27. The partitions may be added or removed by the user to change the size of the compartments 26.

[0028] The handle 30 is generally secured to the utility box 5 after the desired number of storage trays and extension shafts have been added. Upon adding the final extension shaft 40 and storage tray 20, the cover 25 is vertically stacked over the final storage tray 20 and the handle 30 is secured in place.

[0029] While the presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various changes can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, when two shaft sections are fitted together, a spring, such as a plastic or wire section, can be placed in the groove 52 such that it compresses/expands into the outer groove 50 to hold the sections together. Such a spring allows the parts to be pulled apart without removal of the spring. Other types of securing mechanisms are also contemplated such as pins or keys that extend through aligned holes in the shaft extensions, handles, etc., that secure adjacent parts together both longitudinally and rotationally.

[0030] It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be determined solely from the following claims and equivalents thereof. 

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A storage container comprising: (a) a bottom floor having a central cylindrical shaft that extends substantially perpendicularly from the floor, the cylindrical shaft adapted to mate with a shaft extension that lengthens the shaft to increase the storage capacity of the container; (b) at least one storage tray having a section removed from its periphery, an annular side wall extending upward from the periphery, and an inner diameter defining an opening located in the center of the storage tray, said storage tray being vertically stackable on said floor when the opening in said storage is positioned over said central cylindrical shaft; (c) a cover disposed over and rotatable around the shaft; and (d) a handle for transporting the storage container.
 2. The utility box of claim 1, wherein the central cylindrical shaft has a first end connected to the floor and a second end, having a stepped shoulder section that mates with a corresponding stepped section in said handle; wherein the stepped should sections in the cylindrical shaft and handle have channels therein that align, the aligned channels accepting a key that locks the cylindrical shaft to the handle.
 3. The utility box of claim 2, wherein said handle has an opening to permit installation of the key into the aligned channels.
 4. The utility box of claim 2, wherein the cylindrical shaft includes a notch that receives a tab on the handle or on a shaft extension to prohibit relative rotational movement between said handle and said cylindrical shaft or between the cylindrical shaft and a shaft extension.
 5. A cylindrical storage box, including: a base; a cylindrical shaft secured to the base, the shaft having a locking mechanism that allows the cylindrical shaft to be secured to a handle or to a shaft extender; one or more storage trays that fit over and rotate around the cylindrical shaft; and a handle securable to the cylindrical shaft or to a shaft extender for carrying the storage box.
 6. The storage box of claim 5, wherein the cylindrical shaft includes a mating surface that cooperates with a similarly shaped mating surface on a handle or shaft extender; the mating surface including a pair of channels that align and into which a key can be inserted to join the surfaces together.
 7. The storage box of claim 6, wherein the channels extend around an outer and inner diameter of the mating surfaces and the key fits with the aligned channels to join the surfaces together.
 8. A cylindrical storage box including: a base; a shaft extending from the base, the shaft having a mating surface at an upper end thereof that mates with a shaft extender or a handle; and means for locking the shaft to a shaft extender; one or more storage trays disposed over the shaft; and a handle for carrying the storage box.
 9. The storage box of claim 8, wherein the means for locking the shaft to a shaft extender or a handle comprises a pair of circumferential channels that align and into which a flexible key is inserted to prevent longitudinal movement thereof. 